Handhole plate



F. MOFFITT HANDHOLE PLATE Nov. 15, 1927.

Filed Oct. 25, 1926 INVENTOR %M e 1 Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,649,726 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MCFFITT, or. MIDnLETowii, new YORK.

HANDHOLE PLATE.

Application filed October 25, 1926. Serial No. 144.143.

This invention relates to closures'for manholes, hand-holes, or so-called cleanout holes and the like which are usually present in boilers and other structures, and an object of this invention is to provide a closure which can be fitted to a man-hole and secured therein since it is more economical to produce boilers or shells of the boiler type with circular man-holes than with holes which are elliptical or of other configuration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a sectional plate having novel means y which the joints may be packed or provided with gaskets that will eliminate the possibility of leakage at said joints and the said invention is furthermore of importance as providing a sectional plate whose sections can be readily inserted in the aperture for assembly with relation to each other and with relation to the boiler plate or shell.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the details of construction and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a view in elevation of a fragment of a boiler plate showing a device embodying the invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 illustrates a sectional view there- Figure 3 illustrates a view in elevation of the sectional plates detached;

Figure 4 illustrates a view in elevation of a gasket; and

Figure 5 illustrates a side elevation of the sectional plate.

In these drawings a denotes the boiler shell having a circular opening :0. The opening is closed by a sectional plate consisting of the sections b and c. The section b of the piste has a thickened central portion fitting in the aperture of the boiler plate or shell and adapted to lit the internal bore of the shell at m. The plate I) has a marginal shoulder or marginal shoulders e and n to which a gasket 9 is applied. The section 0 of the plate has a flange f with an external shoulder or bearing 0! against which a art der e of the plate I), and the said section 0 is further provided with a marginal flange of the gasket is pressed by the shoulor surface cwhich engages a part of the gasket and presses it into engagement with the inner wall of the boiler plate or shell, and it is shown in Figure 2 that the gasket is in on gagement with the boiler plate or shell as indicated at cl, d. i i i As shown in Figure 4, the gasket is circular and it has a cross rib g which fits between the sectional plates between the surfaces of the flange f and the shoulder e.

The sections of the plate are provided with studs 72. and h respectively, that may be anchored to the said sections in any appropriate way. The studs have threaded ends which project through apertures of a bridge 2' and nuts in and is are threaded on the studs h and h respectively, so that after the sections of the plate have been properly assembled with relation to the gasket and the shell of the boiler, the nuts may be threaded on the studs with the bridge i as an abutment for the nuts for drawing the sections of the plate against the gasket and for compressing the gasket to insure a leak-proof joint between the sections of the plate and the interior of the boiler casing and a leak-proof tit! joint between the overlapping portions of the said sectional plates.

In assembling the sections of the plate within the boiler the gasket will be applied to the section b of the plate and it will be inserted through the aperture 00 beyond the lnner wall, and the stud it will be used as a means for manipulating the said sectional plate and for holding it while the other. sectional plate has its inner part inserted inthe aperture 10 of the gasket and then manipulated with relation to the other section in order to bring the said sections of the plate into the positions in which they are shown in Figure 2 when they will be secured in the manner heretofore stated.

It will be observed from an inspection of the drawing that the section b is relatively larger than the section 0 and that the rib 7' is shorter than the internal diameter of the gasket. It is the purpose of the inventor that when the section Z) is applied to the boiler, the gasket 9 shall be installed on the plate I) and that that portion of the gasket having the, aperture 32 shall extend free of the plate I) in order that theaperture p of the gasket will constitute a clearance for the insertion of the other section of the plate.

I claim- 1. In a closure for round openings of Ill) boiler shells, sectional plates adapted to fit in an opening of the boiler and havingprojections at their edges which extend beyond the wall of the aperture in the boiler and 5 having overlapping joints at the meeting edges of the said plates, a unitary gasket fitted between the sectional plates and the inner wall of the boiler shell and between the overlapping edges of the said plates, a

10 stud anchored to each section" and adapted,

to project outwardly beyond the boiler shell,

and means engaging the, studs ton exerting; a pull on the said sections for compressing the gasket between the overlapping edges of 15 the said sections and against the inner wall of the boiler shell.

2.- In a closure for round holes in boiler shells, sectional plates having overlapping shoulders at their meeting edges and marginal edges adapted to extend parallel with the inner snrfaceof tlieboiler shell beyond the FRANK MOFFITT. 

